City officials continue working to address persistent food insecurity issues in South St. Petersburg. Reaching a consensus on potential solutions presents another challenge.
A city council committee, as stated in the Nov. 13 agenda, initially planned to have a second discussion regarding “municipally-owned grocery stores in food deserts.” The meeting ended with members voting against providing the One Community Grocery Co-op with a $50,000 capacity-building grant.
Councilmember Richie Floyd said he was open to supporting the cooperative or other nonprofits. However, his new business item – subsequently passed to Councilmember Brandi Gabbard – “drifted so far from what its original intent was that I think we need to reset the conversation.”
“We’re not even going to give ourselves an opportunity to see if we can create a sustainable store,” Floyd said. “We’re just going to lose money right away. And maybe that’s what we want to do. That’s a good discussion to have, but … it’s a separate discussion.”
He expressed gratitude for Gabbard’s work on the much-anticipated topic, first discussed in August. That meeting also focused on the One Community Grocery Co-op’s (OCGC) efforts.
Community members pay a fee to join and democratically control a grocery cooperative. Individual OCGC shares, payable in $25 monthly installments, cost $225.
A grassroots movement to create a community-owned grocery store in St. Petersburg began in 2017. The co-op has grown exponentially since early 2024 and now has 167 members. Its goal is to reach 300 before opening a physical location.
OCGC, which hosts multiple pop-up events monthly, still has a long road ahead to opening a brick-and-mortar market. In August, the organization requested $50,000 to attend a national conference and help fund a market feasibility study.
Board chair Erica Hardison said OCGC representatives attended the conference without the city’s help. Gabbard introduced a resolution to provide the co-op with $50,000 for pre-development work, including site evaluations, business planning and community engagement.
Gabbard believes supporting OCGC is the “most sustainable path forward.” She also thought the mayoral administration was not comfortable with the city owning and operating a grocery store.
“It has to be supported by the community,” Gabbard added. “We can’t just drop it somewhere and say, ‘Here it is,’ and subsidize it 100%.”
City Administrator Rob Gerdes said Mayor Ken Welch was “actually open to this concept of a municipally-owned grocery store.” Research highlighted the associated costs and risks, and the administration now believes that supporting an outside entity is the “most likely path forward.”
Floyd disagreed. He noted that the city must subsidize efforts to mitigate food insecurity either way and welcomed another in-depth discussion with OCGC regarding “what exactly it would take to get them stood up.”
The organization expressed disappointment over the failed vote in a prepared statement released Friday. Leadership also remains “encouraged by the dialogue” and the increasing awareness of the “urgent need for health, affordable food options in South St. Petersburg.”
“Our mission has always been – and will continue to be – rooted in community building, collective ownership and self-determination,” OCGC wrote. “We believe that residents have the power and the right to create solutions that meet our own needs. A community-owned grocery co-op is more than a store; it is an investment in economic empowerment, health equity and the long-term stability of our neighborhoods.
“The committee’s decision does not stop our movement. If anything, it strengthens our resolve.”
Floyd, who reiterated that he supports OCGC but wanted additional discussions, and Councilmember Corey Givens Jr. voted against offering the organization $50,000 Thursday. Gabbard and Councilmember Gina Driscoll voted in favor of the funding.
Gerdes said the administration is “happy to continue” discussing municipality-owned grocery stores. Driscoll also offered her support to explore the initial topic further.
“As I said earlier, we need a multi-pronged approach,” Driscoll said. “I love the idea of supporting what’s already in the works, as well as discussing what we could add to that – and use the power of the municipality to do it.”
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
